Traffic Advisory is a transportation-focused speaker series organized by the Boston Society of Architects, the Boston Foundation for Architecture, the Boston Green Ribbon Commission, and the Barr Foundation. Beginning in October and running through June 2014, the series will mine sustainable transportation opportunities that support the Boston Transportation Department’s 2014 visioning process.

On Thursday, February 20, Ryan Chin, managing director for the City Science Initiative at MIT Media Lab and international research specialist who has developed numerous technologies, strategies, and designs to address congestion, energy inefficiency, and pollution, outlines new urban vehicle systems while highlighting possibilities for Greater Boston’s space-constrained streets. The talk will also explore innovations in the areas of energy, housing, and food-production systems that may close the gap between what we have and what we need. For example, what if we lived in high-density live/work neighborhoods where 80% of what most people need are within a 20-minute walk?